Librarians and archivists need academic freedom, as outlined in the CAUT Policy Statement on Academic Freedom, for the same reasons as other academics, including when engaging with controversial issues in scholarship and participating in institutional governance. In addition, there are other specific circumstances where academic freedom is applicable to librarians and archivists, such as in the exercise of their professional judgment.

For instance, librarians critically evaluate scholarly communications and publishing, and can find themselves pressured by publishers, institutions and others whose interests are at stake. This evaluative work needs to be recognized and protected as an expression of academic freedom. Associations should review their academic freedom language to ensure that it:

• provides librarians and archivists freedom to use critical analysis in collection development, instruction and other work that requires critical analysis;
• allows archivists to grant discretionary access to archival material in accordance with donor policies and record keeping provisions;
• allows the results of librarian’s and archivist’s work to be communicated without restriction or fear of reprisal; and
• confirms that a librarian’s and archivist’s duties include refusing to practice or permit censorship in any part of the institution or elsewhere.

The following article from the Wilfrid Laurier

University Faculty Association collective agreement is a good example of  language that affords these types of protections:

Article 7: Academic Freedom

7.1 The common good of society depends upon the search for knowledge and its free expression. Academic freedom in universities is essential to both these purposes in the teaching function of the university as well as in its scholarship and research. Members shall not be hindered or impeded in any way by the University or the Association from exercising their legal rights nor shall they suffer any penalties because of the exercise of such legal rights. The Parties agree that they will not infringe or abridge the academic freedom of any Member. Members are entitled, regardless of prescribed doctrine, to freedom to practice their professions of teacher and scholar, or librarian, freedom in carrying out research and in publishing the results thereof, freedom of teaching and discussion, freedom of creative activity, freedom to select, acquire, disseminate, or use documents in the exercise of their professional responsibilities, freedom to criticize the University and the Association, and freedom from institutional censorship.⁵